Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 13,920 people, this town lies in California.
Isla Vista’s weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $1.5 million, 15.1 years of the Santa Maria metro’s $98K median household income. On schools it is strong: its public schools beat 91% of California towns on state tests and graduation. It is strong on walkability as well: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 95% of U.S. towns. Put together, the subjects come to a C overall, better than 31% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Campus Point State Marine Conservation Area, at 43 acres. 2.3% of residents are 65 or older locally, against 16% in California’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Of the 847 California towns we compare, none has a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Isla Vista. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 83% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenStreetMap. Isla Vista is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among California’s towns.
Where Isla Vista beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Isla Vista Elementary | K–6 | 418 |
23,096 counted in 2010 and 15,500 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Isla Vista is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 95% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 2%), so the C overall blends very different results.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 13,441 in 1970, a peak of 23,096 in 2010, 15,500 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 6 maps from 1942 on.
Explore the history →Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Isla Vista. Close and well known come first.
22 mi National ParkChannel Islands National Park227K visitors a year
19 mi National forestLos Padres National Forest
12 mi GardenLotusland
9 mi LandmarkPresidio of Santa Barbara
9 mi MuseumSanta Barbara Museum of Natural History
11 mi Zoo & aquariumSanta Barbara ZooChannel Islands National Park: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo · Los Padres National Forest: Taken by Antandrus, Public domain · Lotusland: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Presidio of Santa Barbara: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: Jllm06, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Santa Barbara Zoo: Dakart at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Isla Vista is unincorporated, so Santa Barbara County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Isla Vista.
Isla Vista is shaped by its college students, has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
At 15.1 years of the Santa Maria metro’s $98K median household income, the typical home (about $1.48M) costs more against local pay than in 93% of California towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. The typical value, about $1.48M, is 17% below its October 2023 peak.
In the year to September 2026, typical home values slipped 6.7%. Isla Vista’s median rent stands at $1,878 a month.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 1.2% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,878 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
That grade comes with a D− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $1.48M.
Its one school is below. Public schools: the Goleta Union Elementary school district. Isla Vista’s only public school teaches 418 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Vista ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 418 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests
82.7% of residents are enrolled in college, against 7.6% statewide, which pulls the median age down. The median household earns $25,972, against $99,122 across California, one input to its C− for jobs and income.
The median age for Isla Vista comes to 21.2 years. College graduates make up 44% of adults 25 and older, against 37% across California.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 2.3% | 16% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 1.8% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 21.2 years | 39.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 44% | 29% | 29% |
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.5 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 84% are men (CA 50%). Median age: women 21.0, men 21.5.
| Isla Vista | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 1.4% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 86.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.8% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 1.4% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 1.4% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 1% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 1.4% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 0.9% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.7% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.5% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.6% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.6% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.2% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 22.4% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Across 12 parks and preserves: 3.7 miles of trail. Isla Vista’s trail density is 6.2 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves locally: 12, covering 92 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Camino Corto Open Space | 1.2 mi | 22 |
| 2. Del Sol Vernal Pool Preserve | 0.7 mi | 12 |
| 3. Estero Park | 0.3 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
85% of Isla Vista’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 14%.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Isla Vista has 858 jobs for its 3,023 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 15.6 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Employers in Isla Vista added 134 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 858. For most workers, Isla Vista is a place to come home to: only 5% work in town. Only 2 of the 846 California towns we compare have a lower typical household income than Isla Vista. The typical journey to work locally is 16 minutes.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 70% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $26,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 14% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Santa Barbara weather station, 10 miles away, records that about 5 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 97% of U.S. towns. January nights average 45.4°, milder than in 97% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 71.6°.
For Isla Vista, the peak summer temperature is 72°F. Snowfall is close to zero.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 72°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 45°F | 40°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 267 U.S. towns with household incomes like Isla Vista’s, it is healthier than 98%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
18% of adults have high blood pressure in Isla Vista. Against the California average, Isla Vista comes out ahead on 7 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 16. Two figures for adults locally: 30% report frequent mental distress, 31% have been diagnosed with depression. Only 10 of the 847 California towns we compare have a lower share of adults who had a checkup this year than Isla Vista.
| Isla Vista | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 5% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 17% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 22% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Isla Vista | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 1.5% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 8.6% | 20.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 33.2% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
6 within 15 miles of the center of Isla Vista
College town 83 of every 100 Isla Vista residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
15.4% of the town is conserved land, across 12 parks and preserves.
Community in California, United States
Isla Vista (English: EYE-luh VIS-tuh; Spanish: [ˈisla ˈβista], lit. 'island view') is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. As of 2020 census, the community had a population of 15,500. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined the community as a census-designated place (CDP). The majority of residents are college students at the University of California, Santa Barbara, or Santa Barbara City College. The beachside community of Isla Vista lies on a flat plateau about 30 feet (9 m) in elevation, separated from the beach by a bluff. Isla Vista enjoys a Mediterranean climate and often has slightly less precipitation than Santa…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Isla Vista.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Vista | – | C | D− | — | A | B− |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | – | A− | C− | — | A | A |
Isla Vista and University of California-Santa Barbara report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Isla Vista with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Isla Vista grades C overall, better than 31% of U.S. towns. Isla Vista is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among California’s towns. It grades B− for health and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.
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